This invention generally relates to metal alloys and more particularly to lithium-boron-alkali metal alloys.
The phase diagrams for the binary systems of boron-sodium, boron-potassium, boron-rubidium, and boron-cesium have not been characterized. With regard to the boron-sodium system, H. Moisson [Comptes Rendus, 114, 319 (1892)] reported that boron does not dissolve in boiling sodium. Of the binary systems of lithium-sodium, lithium-potassium, lithium-rubidim, and lithium-cesium, B. Bohm and W. Klemm [Anorg. Chem. 243. 69-85 (1939)] reported that lithium does not alloy with either potassium or rubidium. According to T. R. Cuerou and F. Tepper [Am. Rocket Soc., Preprint No. 2537-62 (5 pp), 1962], cesium is slightly soluble in molten lithium at high temperatures. For instance, at 760.degree. C. the solubility of cesium in lithium (in two runs) was 0.007 and 0.018 atomic percent cesium, and at 1093.degree. C., the solubility of cesium in lithium (in two runs) was 0.336 and 0.704 atomic percent cesium. Further, the phase diagrams of the lithium-sodium system, reinvestigated by W. H. Howland and L. F. Epstein [Advan. Chem. Ser., 19, 34-41 (1957)], shows a large immiscibility region below 442 .+-.10.degree. C.; above 442.+-.10.degree. C. sodium is miscible in lithium.
True lithium-boron metal alloys were prepared by F. E. Wang [U.S. Pat. No. 4,110,111, entitled "Metal alloy and Method of Preparation Thereof," which issued to Frederick E. Wang on Aug. 29, 1978 that patent is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent application Ser. No. 377,671, filed on July 5, 1973, now abandoned]. Moreover, true lithium-boron-magnesium metal alloys were prepared by the present inventors, F. E. Wang and R. A. Sutula, [U.S. Patent application, Ser. No. 575,543, filed on May 5, 1975]. However, alloy systems of lithium-born-M wherein M is selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, or mixtures thereof have not previously been investigated.